By Michael McMullan

SATURDAY was a step into the unknown for the hurlers of Cross and Passion Ballycastle but they’ve booked another All-Ireland final spot.

After a 10-week layoff since clinching the Mageean Cup title, they were in semi-final action against Clonmel CBS.

When the Tipperary side cut the gap to five points, a late Oisín McCallin goal sealed victory.

“You are just going into the unknown,” manager Joe Cassidy said of last weekend’s clash.

“As much as you know a wee bit about the team and you’ve watched videos of them, it’s just knowing the actual level that you’re at.

“Some years it just goes for you and other years you’re maybe not up to the pitch.”

Nine of his squad have been away hurling with Antrim u-20s ahead of this weekend’s Ulster final.

Having worked alongside manager Michael McShane with Ballycastle, Cassidy has a close relationship with the new Saffron u-20 boss.

“It was really only the last three weeks where we’ve had everybody together again,” said Cassidy, who helped Cross and Passion to the 2009, 2010 and 2015 All-Ireland titles.

Games against Dublin u-19s, Down u-20s and the Ballycastle senior team helped gel the group ahead of a quest for title number four.

“It was going well but we were just hoping that we were going to get that big performance on Saturday and we got it,” Cassidy said.

There was also the freedom of the All-Ireland series. At Ulster level, they’ve locked horns with St Killian’s, Garron Tower.

As Cassidy puts it, seven years of going up against the same players they’ve locked horns with at club level.

In some cases, it’s been club mate against club mate. They’ve hurled on the same county teams.

“It was good to get away from that in a way,” Cassidy points out. “You can see our forwards enjoy that wee bit of freedom that they get.”

With little between the teams after various early spells, a 1-6 burst – including Roan McGarry’s goal – put Cross and Passion into the driving seat. There was a Clonmel response before McCallin hit the net to clinch victory.

“We got ourselves organised again,” Cassidy said. “We tagged on a few scores and it was about stopping their momentum.”

The excitement is growing in the school community ahead to Saturday week’s showdown with Galway side Calasanctius College, Oranmore.

The immediate focus for the core of the team is Antrim’s Ulster u-20 decider this weekend.

It breaks up the buildup, but, in a way, it keeps the players from overthinking everything. Cassidy is taking the positive out of it and it will give the management time to take a look into Oranmore.

“They are pretty much like the Abbey (Donegal) who were in the MacRory Cup final,” Cassidy points out. “This club has taken 13 from the one club and they are a dual club.”

Oranmore were Galway u-17 and u-19 football champions last year. There was also an appearance in the u-17 hurling final. All grade A. There is plenty of county pedigree for Cross and Passion to contend with. The next challenge awaits. The biggest of all.